The Northern Rivers Times Edition 128

Leukemia patient is home for Christmas with two days to spare

By SAMANTHA ELLEY

When retired school teacher Glenys Davidson had an attack of asthma while at one of her grandchildren’s eisteddfods, she put it down to the smoke in the atmosphere.

“It was August 2019 and we had a lot of smoke and back-burning going on and I had asthma on and off,” she said.

“After the eisteddfod I went to Ballina Hospital as I felt terrible.

“It was 27th August, 2019 at 1pm and I presented at the hospital and told them my asthma was out of control.”

While the staff treated Glenys for the asthma, they ran a blood test.

“They told me there was an anomaly in the blood and they would need to do further tests,” she said.

“At 7.30pm the same night, they put my husband and I in a separate room and the doctor came in and shut the door.

“You know it’s never good when the doctor shuts the door.”

The doctor proceeded to tell Glenys she had Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

Before she knew it, a specialist and team were organised at the Gold Coast University Hospital and Glenys and husband Greg drove up there.

“By 10.30 that night I was in a bed in a ward,” said Glenys.

“A few days before, I had been at the gym, doing cross-country with my grandchild and having a normal life.”

It was then the Leukemia Foundation stepped in.

Glenys with husband Greg

They organised accommodation for Greg

while Glenys underwent her chemo treatment.

“Between each round I came home and waited for my platelets to build up and then I’d go back for more treatment,” Glenys said.

“I went into remission and during that time, I was watching my temperature all the time.

“I had to go back a few

times with the last visit being nine days.

“It was getting closer to Christmas and I just wanted to go home.”

Two days before Christmas Glenys was

given the all clear and was able to go home and spend the holidays with her family.

Glenys with grandsons Dusty and Buddy Davidson

“My son and his wife held Christmas with the whole family,” she said.

As a retired teacher, she was able to explain to her grandchildren, aged between 12 and 4 years old what was actually happening to their Nana.

“When they had visited me in the hospital and saw me attached to a peg in my arm and chemicals going into me, I explained to them that I was getting my medicine

that was going to make me better,” Glenys said.

With 53 new families facing a blood cancer diagnosis every day over the holiday season, the Leukaemia Foundation is urgently asking for donations to the Leukaemia Foundation Christmas Appeal.

“Additionally, 16 people will lose their

battle with the disease of blood cancer which claims the lives of more than 5,950 people each year,” a Leukaemia Foundation spokesperson said.

“Blood cancers combined are the second highest cause of cancer-related deaths in the country, making blood cancer one of the nation’s most deadly cancer.

“In fact, 1 in 3 Australians diagnosed with blood cancer will not survive fve years after their diagnosis.”

Blood cancers include leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma and it is estimated that by 2035, blood cancer diagnosis per year will double.

“Blood cancer doesn’t discriminate, it can develop in anyone and can occur at any age and at any stage of life across all states and territories,” the spokesperson said.

Glenys is one of the lucky ones and her life has returned as much as possible, back to normal after a stem cell transplant.

“I am back to running cross-country and visiting the gym,” she said.

“I am back to socialising as best I can, but I still wear a mask when out in public.”

If you would like to help the Leukaemia Foundation support those with blood cancer you can visit leukaemia.org. au or call 1800 620 420.